Brief presentation of EASPDEUROPEAN ASSOCIATION OF SERVICE PROVIDERS FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

EASPD Provider Forum – 24 April 2015Bernadette GROSYEUXTreasurer

Welcome everybody

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Europe in figures

A large, significant and symbolic territory

European Continent : 50 countries or territories

European Union : 28 countries

EASPD : 31 different countries among the members

& over 80 million people with a disability throughout Europe

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EASPD in brief

EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION OF SERVICE PROVIDERS FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

is a nonprofit NGO in the disability sector. It represents over 10,000 social service provider organisations across

Europe.

EASPD plays a key role on a European level as a representative of disability service providers, working

for inclusive Europe.

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EASPD in Brief

Based in Brussels (BE) Established in 1996 Objective: Promote equal opportunities for people

with disabilities through effective and high quality service systems in Europe, which are affordable, available and adaptable.

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EASPD in brief

Key dates :

1996 : EAPSD’s establishment

2006 (December 13) : adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by the General Assembly of the United Nations

2010 : presentation of the EU 2020 Strategy

2010 (December 23) : ratification of the UNCRPD by the European Union

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Principles

4 A’s:

AccessibilityAffordabilityAvailabilityAdaptability

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Membership

28 Umbrella Member Organisations (UMO)71 Single Agency Member Organisations

(SAMO) Observers18 Cooperation AgreementsRepresenting over 10.000 social and health

support services

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Funding

Funding comes from :

1/3 : European Union

1/3 : Projects

1/3 : Members’ participation

For a total budget of 1 608 836 € (2014)

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3 Pillars

• INFORMATIONService provision to members: networking, offer exchange possibilities to members at European, national, regional and local level

• INNOVATIONResearch and Development: as basis for innovation and improvement of service provision

• IMPACT Policy-influencing: offering service providers a voice in Europe through

– Cooperation – Conferences – Political Representation,– Close cooperation with EU Institutions and the – Council of Europe

Methods of Operation

Standing Committees:

SC on Education

SC on Independent Living and Inclusion

SC on Employment

The Policy Impact Group 10

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Methods of Operation

Interest groups:

Interest Group on Person Centred Technology

Interest Group on human resources and

workforce development

Interest group on early intervention

Interest Group on arts

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Political Debates

EASPD is involved in different political debates:

The implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights for Persons with Disabilities

Implementation of EU Disability Strategy 2010-2020 Social- and Health services of general interest Quality of Services Action plans for persons with disabilities of the European

Commission and the Council of Europe Public Procurement, etc. EU 2020 strategy

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EASPDs influences

EASPD influences a number of important cooperations: It holds an observerstatus at the Council of Europe: member of

CAHPAH, a panel, which evaluates the implementation of the disability action plan by the Council of Europe)

Member of the liaison group of NGOs with the European Social and Economic Committee

Member of the platform of the European Social NGOs Seat in the Highlevel Disability Group of the European

Commission, DG Employment Close cooperation with the Eruopean Disability Forum (EDF),

international networks and organisations such as Inclusion Europe, Close cooperation with the European Blind Union (EBU), the

European Union of the Deaf (EUD) and AGE Europe

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EASPDs Conferences

The past conferences : Annual Conference in Istanbul (Turkey),

27 to 28 September 2013: The Employment of Persons with Disabilities: Raising Awareness & Employment Opportunities

Annual Conference in Siegen (Germany), 27 to 28 March 2014 : Challenges and Strategies of Local Implementation of the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD)

Annual Conference in Oslo (Norway), 9 to 10 October 2014: The development of homes and housing services for persons with disabilities, persons with mental health problems, homeless people and people in need of housing support.

Working themes:

• Right to employment• Inclusive Education• Independant Living• Quality of Services• Funding of Services• Users’ Involvement• Person centered technology• Good Practices

Forthcoming :

Annual Conference in Zadar (Croatia), 7 to 8 May 2015 : "Persons with Disabilities in

Employment: Inclusion through Jobs – Makingit real”

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As a conclusion

• Network is an important way to spread good practices because in the sector of disability we cannot do anything alone, and we have to share our point of views

• “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main” John Donne, No Man is an Island, 1624

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As a conclusion

A few examples of good practices that can be exchanged between EASPD members :

- Good practices concerning inclusive education- Good practices concerning work in the open labour market- Good practices concerning empowerment- Good practices concerning deinstitutionalization- Good practices concerning artistic expression- Good practices concerning independent living

All these practices depend on context and on the means of each countries, but all of them are dictated by the persons’ needs.

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Thank you!

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EASPDAv. d’Auderghem 63 / Oudergemlaan

B – 1040 Brussels

Tel +32 2 282 46 10 – Fax +32 2 230 72 33www.easpd.eu - info@easpd.eu